Integrated touch sensor and light apparatus

• US 7,098,414 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2004
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2001
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Touchsensor Technologies LLC (Methode Electronics Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Touchsensor Technologies LLC (Methode Electronics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Caldwell, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Richard K.
• Application Number:
  US10/850,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20040238726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 200/600, 200310-316
• US Class Current: 200/310
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/00 Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features for adjusting shelves or partitions shelf units with stackable uprights A47B87/00; details of cabinets, racks or shelf units in general A47B96/00; brackets adjustable in themselves A47B96/07
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/025 Shelves with moving elements, e.g. movable extensions or link elements cabinets, racks or shelf units enabling enlargement in height, length or depth A47B45/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/06 with movable or removable shelves or receptacles A47F3/0486 takes precedence; display racks with movable parts A47F5/0081
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0043 Show shelves shelves in general A47B96/02; brackets or similar shelf-supporting means A47B96/06; advertising or price indication G09F
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2325/022 Shelves made of glass or ceramic
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/803 Bottles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/204 specially adapted to be attached to a shelf or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/30 in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell controlling light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. electro-optical or magneto-optical cell, G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/9634 using organic light emitting devices, e.g. light emitting polymer [OEP] or OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960785 with illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960795 using organic light emitting devices, e.g. light emitting polymer [OEP] or OLED

Abstract

A touch sensor is physically integrated with a light emitting device to provide a switching device with built-in backlighting. In some embodiments, the touch sensor and the light emitting device share electrical components.

Claims

1. A selectively illuminated touch sensor apparatus, comprising:

a substrate;

a first touch sensor disposed on said substrate;

a first insulating layer, wherein at least a portion of said first insulating layer is disposed on said first touch sensor; and

a first independent light emitting device, wherein at least a portion of said first independent light emitting device is disposed on said first insulating layer in alignment with said first touch sensor.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said substrate is translucent.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said substrate is transparent.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said insulating layer is translucent.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said insulating layer is transparent.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substrate is substantially rigid.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substrate is substantially flexible.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first touch sensor comprises a first electrode disposed on said substrate and at least a portion of said first independent light emitting device overlies at least a portion of said first electrode.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least a portion of said first electrode is translucent.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least a portion of said first electrode is transparent.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising an integrated control circuit disposed on said substrate and electrically coupled to said first electrode.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said integrated control circuit includes a peak detector.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said integrated control circuit includes a latch.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first touch sensor comprises a second electrode, said second electrode disposed on said substrate in a spaced, coplanar and substantially surrounding relationship to said first electrode.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, further comprising an active device disposed on said substrate and electrically coupled to said first electrode and said second electrode.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said active device is a transistor.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, further comprising an integrated control circuit disposed on said substrate and electrically coupled to said first electrode and said second electrode.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said integrated control circuit includes a peak detector.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said integrated control circuit includes a latch.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, where said touch sensor is selected from the group consisting of a capacitive touch sensor, an electric field touch sensor, an infrared touch sensor, an acoustic touch sensor and an electromagnetic touch sensor.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, where said light emitting device is selected from the group consisting of a light emitting diode, a light emitting polymer, an organic light emitting diode, and a polymer light emitting diode.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for controlling the activation of and detecting the stimulation status of said first touch sensor and for controlling the illumination of said first independent light emitting device.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a drive circuit controlling the activation of and detecting the stimulation status of said first touch sensor and controlling the illumination of said first independent light emitting device, said drive circuit coupled to said first touch sensor and to said first independent light emitting device.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 23 wherein said drive circuit is adapted to selectively illuminate said first independent light emitting device as a function of the activation and/or stimulation status of said first touch sensor.

25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a second touch sensor disposed on said substrate;

a second insulating layer, wherein at least a portion of said second insulating layer is further disposed on said second touch sensor; and

a second independent light emitting device, wherein at least a portion of said second independent light emitting device is disposed on said second insulating layer in alignment with said second touch sensor.

26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 25, further comprising means for controlling the activation of and detecting the stimulation status of said first touch sensor and said second touch sensor and for controlling the illumination of said first independent light emitting device and said second independent light emitting device.

27. The apparatus as claimed in claim 25, further comprising a drive circuit controlling the activation of and detecting the stimulation status of said first touch sensor and said second touch sensor and controlling the illumination of said first independent light emitting device and said second independent light emitting device, said drive circuit coupled to said first touch sensor, said second touch sensor, said first independent light emitting device, and said second independent light emitting device.

28. The apparatus as claimed in claim 27 wherein said drive circuit is adapted to selectively illuminate said first independent light emitting device as a function of the activation status of said first touch sensor and to selectively illuminate said second independent light emitting device as a function of the activation and/or stimulation status of said second touch sensor.

29. The apparatus as claimed in claim 25, further comprising:

a third touch sensor disposed on said substrate;

a third insulating layer, wherein at least a portion of said third insulating layer is further disposed on said third touch sensor; and

a third independent light emitting device, wherein at least a portion of said third independent light emitting device is disposed on said third insulating layer in alignment with said third touch sensor.

30. The apparatus as claimed in claim 29, further comprising means for controlling the activation of and detecting the stimulation status of said first touch sensor, said second touch sensor, and said third touch sensor and controlling the illumination of said first independent light emitting device, said second independent light emitting device, and said third independent light emitting device.

31. The apparatus as claimed in claim 29, further comprising a drive circuit controlling the activation of and detecting the stimulation status of said first touch sensor, said second touch sensor, and said third touch sensor and controlling the illumination of said first independent light emitting device, said second independent light emitting device, and said third independent light emitting device.

32. The apparatus as claimed in claim 31 wherein said drive circuit is adapted to selectively illuminate said first independent light emitting device as a function of the activation and/or stimulation status of said first touch sensor, to selectively illuminate said second independent light emitting device as a function of the activation and/or stimulation status of said second touch sensor, and to selectively illuminate said third independent light emitting device as a function of the activation and/or stimulation status of said third touch sensor.